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Toms Tips About Small Batteries

By Tom Neale - Published June 26, 2008 - Viewed 1612 times

1. Manufacturers say to store batteries at room temperature, whatever that is. The bottom line is that it shouldn’t be too hot or too cold. So, for example, if you keep your boat where winter comes, take them to your house during winter storage. If you take your boat to the tropics, store them in a relatively cool (but dry and salt-free) place.

2. DO check the batteries in your equipment regularly. This can be a real pain in the neck if you have a lot of flashlights (like me) but it’s far more inconvenient than having a favorite light or VHF destroyed by leaking batteries.

3. Look closely at the batteries for any signs of leakage, discoloration, dent or defect in the casing or other abnormality. It you see anything suspicious, replace all the batteries in the item.

4. Batteries are more fragile than you may think. If your equipment receives a shock (as when you drop it), or if you drop the package of batteries, consider the batteries suspect.

5. A battery exposed to salt water should be safely discarded and not used or stored any more.

6. If any leakage has occurred, examine the equipment which held the battery carefully. Battery leakage can severely corrode its working parts and you may need to clean it thoroughly.

7. Leakage from a battery can burn you and harm surrounding areas.

8. A leaking battery can cause gas which, in the right (wrong) circumstances can result in explosion. Some flashlights, such as many made by Pelican, have vents and gas absorbing pellets to help deal with this possibility.

9. Always replace all batteries in a unit, (not just a defective one) with batteries of the same kind, by the same manufacturer and of the same use by date.

10. Even good batteries will degrade some while being stored. If your package is near the end of its date, check the batteries with a digital volt/ohm meter to be sure they’re up to par.

11. Never carry batteries in your pocket or carry or store them in any manner that would allow them to arc or discharge.

12. Never try to recharge a battery that isn’t designed and manufactured for this purpose.

13. Take seriously the instructions and warnings on the packages, including those for disposal.

Boating and water sports involve risk. Any comments herein should be followed at your own risk. You assume all responsibility for risk or injury to yourself or others. Any person or entity that uses this information in any way, as a condition of that use, agrees to waive and does waive and also hold authors harmless from any and all claims which may arise from or be related to that use.